A 60-YEAR tradition of remembrance has sadly come to an end for Coventry couple Ronald and Emilienne Thomas.

The couple have visited Belgium to lay a wreath for Remembrance Day every year since the Second World War.

But this year, the great-grandparents have been unable to make the trip because Mrs Thomas has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and is not well enough to go.

The pair, who have been married for 58 years, are still keen to remember fallen comrades and will instead lay flowers at the cenotaph in Coventry's War Memorial Park.

Mrs Thomas and her family were Belgian refugees during the war, and, via the perilous beaches of Dunkirk in France, they fled to the UK, where she met her future husband.

Mr Thomas, now aged 80, served in the Merchant Navy in the north Atlantic during the war, and the brave pair have amassed an impressive collection of medals between them.

The couple, who live in Leamington Road, Styvechale, have been to Belgium at least once a year since they got married to lay flowers for Remembrance Day.

For the past 10 years they have also visited Morekirk, near Bruges, for the annual Canadian Liberation Parade. Last year they took an original flag which had been restored by members of St James' Church in Leamington Road.

Mr and Mrs Thomas, who have three children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, have had links with a Belgian museum for many years.

They were due to present a collection of books about the Coventry Blitz before Mrs Thomas's illness cancelled their travel plans.

But Mr Thomas says he is still determined to get the books to Belgium.

He said: "This is the first time we haven't been back to Belgium for 60 years and not been able to lay flowers for the soldiers and sailors who fought for the liberation.

"Instead we're going to lay flowers at the cenotaph in Coventry, for the Canada 10th Regiment and the Royal Warwicks.

"We have books given by Coventry people which we were going to give to the museum we have contact with in Belgium and to some schools, because they're interested in the Coventry Blitz.

"We can't take them in person now but I'll make sure they get there.

"I know we only just scratch the surface with what we do, but we do try.

"It's important to remember all the people who died so myself and Emilienne could have the good life we've had. I'm very proud and privileged to have known Emilienne.

"Her Alzheimer's is too bad for us to go back to Belgium this year but we still want to do something."

The couple will be laying flowers as part of the Remembrance Day parade at the War Memorial Park in Coventry on Sunday.